With the winter season firmly upon us, we can expect some pretty bad weather coming our way. The worst form of this, of course being snow and ice. This sort of weather presents dangers in all aspects of life, however is unfortunately unavoidable in most things. The best way to deal with snow and ice, is to be prepared for it, and to know what sort of precautions to take.
One of the things we find most common around this time of year, is roofing damage. Roofs are like the protective layer of any building, meaning that they are the first thing to take a hit from bad weather. As we are expecting snow and ice fairly soon, we thought we’d talk about some of the most common problems faced with it in roofing and what the best solutions are.
The weight of snow
The weight of snow can actually cause parts of your roof to cave in. Despite roofs being incredibly strong, when we get heavy snow this can sometimes cause weakness and therefore damage to the surface. In the UK we don’t tend to get snow as heavy as in other places, but it can still be pretty bad some years, and if there is too much gathering on your roof it can start to collapse and cause danger to your house.
Ice build up
During freezing temperatures, ice can come as a bit of an issue to our homes. For example, freezing in your gutters can cause an overflow, as there is nowhere for the water to go, so it then starts to build up and ultimately, freeze. This can be a hazard, because when the water has nowhere to go, it may begin to freeze through places such as underneath shingles. As a result, this leads to leaks, as the ice then melts inside your home where the temperature is different.
Leaks
It is inevitable that at some point, all the snow and ice that has gathered on your roof, will start to melt. When there is excessive amounts, all of the liquid that it then turns into can be a bit of a problem, as it can end up leaking through your roof. This can sometimes be controllable and only require a simple fix, however when the amount is higher, the water can cause big leaks that result in pretty extensive damage to your roof and within your home.
How you can lessen the impact of snow and ice
Ensuring that you are taking the correct safety measures, the best solution when it comes to excessive snow is to get rid of it with a shovel or rake. This will prevent too much of a build up and stop it becoming too heavy on your roof. Shoveling snow off your roof when it is appropriate to do so will be of huge help to your home and ensure that you are living in a safe space without risk of any part of the roof collapsing.
In terms of ice, you should try to relieve any build up of ice. You can do this by ensuring that your gutter is as clear and empty as it can possibly be when freezing temperatures are anticipated as this will free up as much space as possible to allow the water to escape and travel down the gutter. Furthermore, if you notice that ice dams are starting to build up in and around your gutter, you can help the problem by breaking the ice, and this can be done by chiseling it away with tools.
In terms of leaks, as soon as you notice any, you should get in touch with a professional roofer as soon as possible. They will then come out and visit your home to assess and fix the problem. We encourage you to seek help immediately to prevent the leak from becoming any worse and causing any more damage.
If you would like to know more or have any questions, we would be more than happy to help! Simply get in touch with us via our contact page and we will be able to offer our help and advice.
